IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/aae/journl/v15y2019i4p11-34.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

E-business tools adoption and export performance: Empirical evidence from Croatian companies

Author

Listed:
  • Mirna Leko Šimić

    (PhD, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Economics, Trg Ljudevita Gaja 7, 31000 Osijek, Croatia, e-mail: lekom@efos.hr)

  • Antun Biloš

    (PhD, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Economics, Trg Ljudevita Gaja 7, 31000 Osijek, Croatia, e-mail: antun.bilos@efos.hr)

  • Josipa Mijoč

    (PhD, J. J. Strossmayer University of Osijek, Faculty of Economics, Trg Ljudevita Gaja 7, 31000 Osijek, Croatia, e-mail: josipa.mijoc@efos.hr)

Abstract

Technology development has enabled companies of all kinds, industries, and sizes to actively participate in international business. Information and communications technology (ICT), and especially e-business tools, are important for the international activities of companies. ICT empowers the company’s potential to contribute significantly to economic growth, as it plays a vital role in simplifying business processes and contributes to the improvement of the competitive market presence of a company. The objective of this research is to identify the level of e-business tools adoption in Croatian exporting companies and investigate its influence on their export performance. In the analysis of the level of e-business tools adoption, a partial OECD e-commerce maturity model was used, which measures several aspects of ICT readiness and intensity of web sites and e-commerce in exporting companies. Several distinct aspects of e-business tools adoption were examined, namely e-mail usage, internet usage in market research, promotion, e-commerce, and e-payment possibilities. The export performance level was measured through three elements: the export/total business activities ratio, the export/total revenue ratio and, additionally, the existence of multilingual official websites. Our findings provide enough evidence that e-business tools adoption has a positive correlation to export performance for Croatian exporters. However, it should be noted that three e-business tools adoption factors positively correlate with export performance: namely (1) e-mail use for correspondence with partners/suppliers/buyers, (2) use of the internet as a promotional tool for foreign markets and (3) e-payment use. Two remaining e-business tools adoption factors that were measured – (1) use of the internet as an information source on foreign markets/buyers/suppliers and (2) online ordering/sales, did not record a significant correlation with export performance. These findings imply that there is still room for better implementation of e-business tools in Croatian exporting companies, particularly regarding market research and online ordering and sales that can contribute to better export performance. With regard to international market geographical orientation, we found significant differences in exporting companies oriented toward geographically and culturally distant markets (non-regional and non-EU markets) that have a statistically higher level of e-business tools implementation in comparison to those exporting dominantly to regional and EU markets. This illustrates the significance of e-business tools adoption for reaching and managing those distant markets that are important for a number of Croatian exporters.

Suggested Citation

  • Mirna Leko Šimić & Antun Biloš & Josipa Mijoč, 2019. "E-business tools adoption and export performance: Empirical evidence from Croatian companies," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 15(4), pages 11-34.
    • Handle: RePEc:aae:journl:v:15:y:2019:i:4:p:11-34
    DOI: 10.7341/20191541
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://jemi.edu.pl/uploadedFiles/file/all-issues/vol15/issue4/JEMI_Vol15_Issue4_2019_Article1.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.7341/20191541?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Riccardo Lucchetti & Alessandro Sterlacchini, 2004. "The Adoption of ICT among SMEs: Evidence from an Italian Survey," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 23(2), pages 151-168, September.
    2. Vijay Narayanan, 2015. "Export Barriers for Small and Medium-sized Enterprises: A Literature Review based on Leonidou’s Model," Entrepreneurial Business and Economics Review, Centre for Strategic and International Entrepreneurship at the Cracow University of Economics., vol. 3(2), pages 105-123.
    3. Cahen, Fernanda Ribeiro & Lahiri, Somnath & Borini, Felipe Mendes, 2016. "Managerial perceptions of barriers to internationalization: An examination of Brazil's new technology-based firms," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 69(6), pages 1973-1979.
    4. Paolo Depaoli & Stefano Za, 2013. "Towards the Redesign of e-Business Maturity Models for SMEs," Lecture Notes in Information Systems and Organization, in: Richard Baskerville & Marco De Marco & Paolo Spagnoletti (ed.), Designing Organizational Systems, edition 127, pages 285-300, Springer.
    5. Aparna Gosavi, 2017. "Use of the Internet and its Impact on Productivity and Sales Growth in Female-Owned Firms: Evidence from India," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 13(2), pages 155-178.
    6. Madsen, Tage Koed & Moen, Øystein, 2018. "Managerial assessments of export performance: What do they reflect?," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(2), pages 380-388.
    7. Leonidou, Leonidas C. & Katsikeas, Constantine S., 2010. "Integrative assessment of exporting research articles in business journals during the period 1960-2007," Journal of Business Research, Elsevier, vol. 63(8), pages 879-887, August.
    8. Drew, Stephen, 2003. "Strategic Uses of E-Commerce by SMEs in the East of England," European Management Journal, Elsevier, vol. 21(1), pages 79-88, February.
    9. Voola, Ranjit & Casimir, Gian & Carlson, Jamie & Anushree Agnihotri, M., 2012. "The effects of market orientation, technological opportunism, and e-business adoption on performance: A moderated mediation analysis," Australasian marketing journal, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 136-146.
    10. Neema Mori & Gibson Munisi, 2012. "The Role of the Internet in Overcoming Information Barriers: Implications for Exporting SMEs of the East African Community," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 8(2), pages 60-77.
    11. Narcyz Roztocki & Heinz Roland Weistroffer, 2015. "Information and Communication Technology in Transition Economies: An Assessment of Research Trends," Information Technology for Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 21(3), pages 330-364, July.
    12. Bilas Vlatka & Franc Sanja & Bošnjak Mile, 2015. "Examining the Export-led Growth Hypothesis: The case of Croatia," Naše gospodarstvo/Our economy, Sciendo, vol. 61(3), pages 22-31, June.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Aleksandra Wąsowska, 2016. "Perception of Export Barriers at Different Stages of the Internatonalizaton Process - Evidence from European SMEs," Journal of Entrepreneurship, Management and Innovation, Fundacja Upowszechniająca Wiedzę i Naukę "Cognitione", vol. 12(4), pages 29-49.
    2. Kahiya, Eldrede T., 2018. "Five decades of research on export barriers: Review and future directions," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 27(6), pages 1172-1188.
    3. Patricia Kotnik & Eva Hagsten, 2018. "ICT use as a determinant of export activity in manufacturing and service firms: Multi-country evidence," Zbornik radova Ekonomskog fakulteta u Rijeci/Proceedings of Rijeka Faculty of Economics, University of Rijeka, Faculty of Economics and Business, vol. 36(1), pages 103-128.
    4. Fındık, Derya & Tansel, Aysit, 2013. "Resources on the stage: a firm level analysis of the ict adoption in Turkey," MPRA Paper 65956, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 05 Aug 2014.
    5. Ariel Herbert FAMBEU, 2016. "Déterminants De L’Adoption Des Tic Dans Un Pays En Développement : Une Analyse Économétrique Sur Les Entreprises Industrielles Au Cameroun," Region et Developpement, Region et Developpement, LEAD, Universite du Sud - Toulon Var, vol. 43, pages 159-186.
    6. repec:mje:mjejnl:v:12:y:2017:i:2:p:163-174 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Krzysztof Malik & Anna Jasińska-Biliczak, 2018. "Innovations and Other Processes as Identifiers of Contemporary Trends in the Sustainable Development of SMEs: The Case of Emerging Regional Economies," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(5), pages 1-17, April.
    8. Anita Ciunova-Shuleska & Christian Nedu Osakwe & Nikolina Palamidovska-Sterjadovska, 2016. "Complementary impact of capabilities and brand orientation on SMBs performance," Journal of Business Economics and Management, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(6), pages 1270-1285, November.
    9. Bassem Kahouli & Amine Nafla & Nahla Chaaben & Zied Elleuch, 2023. "Exploring the Influence of the Information and Communication Technology Dimensions on the Sustainability of Competitiveness in Small and Medium-sized Enterprises in the Hail Region," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 15(23), pages 1-19, November.
    10. Ramdani, Boumediene & Belaid, Fateh & Goutte, Stephane, 2023. "SME internationalisation: Do the types of innovation matter?," International Review of Financial Analysis, Elsevier, vol. 88(C).
    11. Luigi Benfratello & Tiziano Razzolini & Alessandro Sembenelli, 2009. "Does ICT Investment Spur or Hamper Offshoring? Empirical Evidence from Microdata," Working papers 05, Former Department of Economics and Public Finance "G. Prato", University of Torino.
    12. Roberta Rabellotti & Anna Carabelli & Giovanna Hirsch, 2007. "Italian SMEs and industrial districts on the move: Where are they going?," Working Papers 115, SEMEQ Department - Faculty of Economics - University of Eastern Piedmont.
    13. Głodowska Agnieszka & Pera Bożena & Wach Krzysztof, 2019. "International Strategy as the Facilitator of the Speed, Scope, and Scale of Firms’ Internationalization," Journal of Management and Business Administration. Central Europe, Sciendo, vol. 27(3), pages 55-84, September.
    14. N.M. Odhiambo, 2021. "Is Export-Led Growth Hypothesis Still Valid for Sub-Saharan African Countries? New Evidence from Panel Data Analysis," Working Papers AESRI-2021-02, African Economic and Social Research Institute (AESRI), revised Jan 2021.
    15. Uwizeyemungu, Sylvestre & Poba-Nzaou, Placide & St-Pierre, Josée, 2022. "Back-end information technology resources and manufacturing SMEs’ export commitment: An empirical investigation," International Business Review, Elsevier, vol. 31(5).
    16. Éltető, Andrea & Udvari, Beáta, 2018. "Nemzetköziesedés a válság után - a magyar kis- és középvállalatok exportjára ható tényezők [Internationalisation since the crisis - factors affecting exports by small and medium-sized Hungarian ent," Közgazdasági Szemle (Economic Review - monthly of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences), Közgazdasági Szemle Alapítvány (Economic Review Foundation), vol. 0(4), pages 402-425.
    17. Kounetas, Kostas & Tsekouras, Kostas, 2008. "The energy efficiency paradox revisited through a partial observability approach," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 30(5), pages 2517-2536, September.
    18. Ali Enes Dingil & Federico Rupi & Domokos Esztergár-Kiss, 2021. "An Integrative Review of Socio-Technical Factors Influencing Travel Decision-Making and Urban Transport Performance," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(18), pages 1-20, September.
    19. Delera, Michele & Pietrobelli, Carlo & Calza, Elisa & Lavopa, Alejandro, 2022. "Does value chain participation facilitate the adoption of Industry 4.0 technologies in developing countries?," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 152(C).
    20. Khoirul Aswar & Ermawati, 2021. "E-Commerce Adoption by Small Medium Enterprises: An Extensive Literature Review," Information Management and Business Review, AMH International, vol. 12(4), pages 12-18.
    21. Samiaji Sarosa, 2012. "The Adoption Of Tailor-made IT-based Accounting Systems Within Indonesian SMEs From Actor Network Theory Perspective," International Journal of Business Research and Management (IJBRM), Computer Science Journals (CSC Journals), vol. 3(5), pages 265-278, October.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    e-business tools adoption; export performance; statistical analysis; Croatian exporters;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C83 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Data Collection and Data Estimation Methodology; Computer Programs - - - Survey Methods; Sampling Methods
    • L25 - Industrial Organization - - Firm Objectives, Organization, and Behavior - - - Firm Performance
    • M15 - Business Administration and Business Economics; Marketing; Accounting; Personnel Economics - - Business Administration - - - IT Management

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:aae:journl:v:15:y:2019:i:4:p:11-34. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Anna Ujwary-Gil (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://fundacjacognitione.org .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.